The Pros and Cons of Being an Exchange Student: Is It Your Cup of Tea?

If you enjoy travelling and learning about different cultures, being an exchange student may be the experience you’ve been looking for! But before you get all excited and start planning your trip, it’s a good idea to weigh the pros and cons and be sure this is something you truly want to do.

Pros of being an exchange student:

Immerse into a Different Culture – By immersing oneself in another culture, you’ll perceive life differently. This also allows you to be well-versed in a new language since with native speakers around, your language skills will improve. 

Academic Adventure – Learning abroad is different from home. It’s a completely new ballgame with different teaching approaches and research prospects but you’ll develop the flexibility to deal with any situation that may arise.

Global Friendship Network –  Get ready to create global peers. You’ll be creating a lifelong network of relationships. These overseas friends may help you open doors both personally and professionally.

Cons of being an exchange student:

Cultural Disorientation – Being in an unfamiliar place may be stressful, and you may miss your friends and family back home. This, however, is just temporary.

Academic Obstacles – Studying abroad may reveal academic disparities. There are differences in grading and teaching methods that may be difficult and different from your hometown.

Studying abroad is expensive – Of course, with all the things you need to account for like tuition, housing, and travel add up, some may have financial issues to face along the way.

If you’re planning to study abroad, being distant from home doesn’t equal feeling detached. Communication services like Overseas Calling, make international messaging and calls easier with inexpensive rates and excellent service. As such, if you decide to become an exchange student, Overseas Calling will make sure you never feel too distant from home.